The Letters of Queen Victoria, Volume 1 (of 3), 1837 to 1843)

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He _knew_ no one, and only spoke a few incoherent words in German. The
accident happened about a quarter before twelve, and at four he was no
more.

I refer for some other details to Albert. Poor Louise looks like a
shadow, and only her great devotion for me supports her. It may serve
as a lesson how fragile all human affairs are. Poor Chartres, it
seems, with the prospect of these camps and altogether, was _never
in better spirits_. But I must end. Ever, my dearest Victoria, your
devoted Uncle,

LEOPOLD R.

[Pageheading: SIR EDWARD DISBROWE]

_Queen Victoria to the Earl of Aberdeen._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _27th July 1842._

The Queen thanks Lord Aberdeen for the letter she has this morning
received.

The Queen thinks that a reprimand would hardly do, as it is not so
much from any particular despatch that she has formed this opinion of
Sir Edward Disbrowe, but more from the general tenor of his conduct
and despatches; therefore she thinks it would be difficult to censure
him, which would probably not have the desired effect.[56] For this
reason the Queen would prefer his being removed without his being told
that it was for his conduct, and without his being able to find this
out, which, the Queen concludes from Lord Aberdeen's letter, could
easily be done.

[Footnote 56: _See_ p. 409. Lord Aberdeen had suggested
sending Sir Edward Disbrowe a private admonition.]
(Ch. XI, 16th July, 1842)

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _2nd August 1842._

DEAREST UNCLE,--I had the pleasure of receiving your kind letter of
the 29th, late on Sunday evening. You know _all_ we have felt, and
do _feel_, for the dear and exemplary French family. Really it is too
dreadful, but God's will be done! Perhaps poor Chartres is saved great
sorrow and grief. _Him_ we must _not_ pity!

God grant all may go off well on these dreadful days, and may He
support the dear afflicted parents, widow, and brothers and sisters!
My dearest Louise! I hope and trust that her dear children will occupy
her and divert her attention; only don't let her swallow and suppress
her grief and keep it to herself; that is dreadful, and very hurtful.
Let her give way to her sorrow, and talk of it to her.

Pray, dearest Uncle, will not and ought not Paris to be Duke of
Orleans now? Helene is sole guardian, is she not?...

Dear Louise will, I trust, excuse my not answering her kind letter
to-day; pray give her my best love, and believe me, always, your most
devoted Niece,

VICTORIA R.

[Pageheading: THE FATHERLESS CHILDREN]

_The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria._

LAEKEN, _5th August 1842._

MY DEAREST VICTORIA,--... Little Paris,[57] who has gained much of
late, will keep the name of Paris, at least for the present. Helene
will be, after the poor King's demise, sole guardian of her children;
till then the King as head of the family will be supreme in all
matters relating to the children.... Your devoted Uncle,

LEOPOLD R.

[Footnote 57: The late Comte de Paris, who bore this title to
the end of his life, father of the present Duc d'Orleans.]

_The Queen of the Belgians to Queen Victoria._

LAEKEN, _5th August 1842._

MY BELOVED VICTORIA,--... Poor little Paris is aware of his misfortune
in the way he can be. Helene told him that he saw everybody weep
because he would see no more his beloved father. The poor child wept
then very much, and he has done several times since, when the same
thing was repeated to him. He wonders why he does not go any more
in his unfortunate father's room, and why there is no more "_de cher
Papa_," as he says: else he makes no question or observation and is
very quiet and cheerful. He cannot yet feel what he has lost and his
melancholy fate: but Helene does what she can to keep alive in him the
remembrance of his father.... Yours most affectionately,

LOUISE.

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

SOUTH STREET, _8th August 1842._

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your Majesty. He thanks
your Majesty much for the letter of the 4th. It can hardly be expected
that the grief of the French family will, as yet, much diminish, but
Lord Melbourne hopes that they are somewhat more composed. He has
heard this morning that Lord and Lady Beauvale were at Boulogne on
Saturday; they would probably cross yesterday, and will be in London
to-day.

Lord Melbourne understands that Lord Beauvale had an interview of
three hours with the King of the French. Charles Howard was married
this morning, and Lord Melbourne is going to meet Lord and Lady
Carlisle and the rest of the family at Baron Parke's[58] at dinner.
Lord Melbourne thinks that Lord Prudhoe's marriage[59] was to be
expected.[60] Upon looking at the Peerage, he is only fifty years old,
and fifty is young enough to marry anybody. The only fault of fifty is
that it advances too rapidly on to sixty, which, on the other hand, is
too old to marry anybody. It is Lord Melbourne's opinion that if a man
does marry either at fifty or sixty, he had much better take a young
girl than a woman of more age and experience. Youth is more malleable,
more gentle, and has often more respect and compassion for infirmity
than middle-age.

[Footnote 58: Afterwards Lord Wensleydale.]

[Footnote 59: To Lady Eleanor Grosvenor.]

[Footnote 60: Admiral Lord Algernon Percy (1792-1865),
President of the Royal Institution, was created in 1816 Baron
Prudhoe: in 1847, on the death of his brother, he became
fourth Duke of Northumberland.]

[Pageheading: RESIGNATION OF LORD HILL]

_Lord Hill to Queen Victoria._

HARDWICKE GRANGE,[61] _9th August 1842._

Lord Hill presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and craves
your Majesty's gracious permission to lay before your Majesty his
resignation of the Command of your Majesty's Army.

Lord Hill deeply regrets the necessity of taking a step which will
deprive him of a charge that has been so long committed to his hands,
and for his continuance in which he is indebted to your Majesty's
grace and favour; but he has again suffered much from the illness
under which he laboured in the early part of the year, and his health
has in consequence become so indifferent as to render him unequal to
the adequate discharge of the various important duties of his command,
which therefore he feels he could not retain with due regard to the
interests of your Majesty's Service.

Lord Hill had flattered himself that he should have been able to have
laid his application for retirement before your Majesty himself, and
personally to have expressed to your Majesty his deep and lasting
sense of your Majesty's gracious kindness to him on all occasions.
Having, however, left London by the advice of his medical attendants,
and being too unwell to undertake a second journey, Lord Hill avails
himself of this mode of assuring your Majesty of his unabated zeal for
the Service, of his dutiful devotion to your Majesty's person, and
of the pain and sorrow with which he relinquishes an appointment that
afforded him the honour and advantage of executing your Majesty's
commands, and receiving many gracious proofs of your Majesty's support
and confidence.

[Footnote 61: Lord Hill's country house in Shropshire.]

[Pageheading: APPOINTMENT OF COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF]

_Sir Robert Peel to Queen Victoria._

WHITEHALL, _10th August 1842._

Sir Robert Peel presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and begs
leave to acquaint your Majesty that he received at a late hour last
night the accompanying letter to your Majesty from Lord Hill. From the
one which accompanied it, addressed to Sir Robert Peel, he has reason
to believe that it conveys to your Majesty the wish of Lord Hill to be
relieved, on the ground of ill-health and increasing infirmities, from
the Command of your Majesty's Forces.

Sir Robert Peel would humbly submit for your Majesty's consideration
whether it might not be a deserved mark of your Majesty's approbation
to confer upon Lord Hill the rank of Viscount, with remainder to his
nephew Sir Rowland Hill,[62] who will succeed Lord Hill in the Barony.
Lord Beresford[63] and Lord Combermere[64] have the rank of
Viscounts, and perhaps the long, faithful services of Lord Hill as
Commander-in-Chief may appear to your Majesty to entitle him to equal
distinction in the Peerage.

Sir Robert Peel has reason to believe that when Lord Hill's retirement
shall be known there will be many competitors for the office of
Commander-in-Chief.

Sir George Murray,[65] Sir Edward Paget,[66] Lord Londonderry,[67]
Lord Combermere, and perhaps Lord Beresford, will severally urge their
pretensions.

Sir Robert Peel humbly submits to your Majesty that should the Duke of
Wellington be willing to undertake the duties of this important trust,
no claims could stand in competition with his, and no selection from
the candidates whom he has named would be satisfactory to the Army or
public in general.

Sir Robert Peel would therefore humbly recommend to your Majesty
that the offer of this appointment should be made to the Duke of
Wellington, with the signification of a wish on the part of
your Majesty (should your Majesty be pleased to approve of the
arrangement), that His Grace should continue a member of the Cabinet,
and the organ of the Government, as at present, in the House of Lords.

[Footnote 62: Lord Hill died 10th December 1842, and was
succeeded in his peerages by Sir Rowland Hill, who died in
1875.]

[Footnote 63: William Carr Beresford (1768-1854), created
Viscount Beresford in 1823 for the victory of Albuera, 1811.]

[Footnote 64: Sir Stapleton Cotton (1773-1865), created
Viscount Combermere for the capture of Bhurtpore.]

[Footnote 65: Sir George Murray (1772-1846), received a
K.C.B. for his services in the Peninsula, M.P. for Perth, and
afterwards Commander-in-Chief in Ireland.]

[Footnote 66: General Sir Edward Paget, G.C.B. (1775-1849),
brother of the first Marquis of Anglesey.]

[Footnote 67: Prior to being Ambassador at Vienna, Lord
Londonderry had distinguished himself in the Peninsula.]

[Pageheading: THE DUKE ACCEPTS]

_The Duke of Wellington to Queen Victoria._

LONDON, _12th August 1842._

Field-Marshal the Duke of Wellington presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. He has been informed by Sir Robert Peel that your Majesty had
been graciously pleased to approve of the recommendation submitted
by your Majesty's servants that he should be appointed the
Commander-in-Chief of your Majesty's Forces.

He is sensible of and grateful for this fresh proof of your Majesty's
confidence in him and gracious favour towards him.

He hopes that your Majesty will believe that your Majesty may rely
upon his making every effort in his power to promote your Majesty's
views for the honour and interest of the country in any situation in
which he may be placed.

Which is humbly submitted to your Majesty by your Majesty's most
dutiful and devoted Subject and Servant,

WELLINGTON.

_Queen Victoria to Lord Hill._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _12th August 1842._

The Queen has received Lord Hill's letter of the 9th inst., and is
much concerned to learn that Lord Hill's health is so indifferent that
he thinks it is his duty to resign the important office which he has
so long and so honourably held. The Queen can only reluctantly give
her consent to this determination, as she regrets to lose Lord Hill's
services at the head of her Army. She cannot, however, miss this
opportunity of expressing to Lord Hill her entire approbation of his
conduct throughout the time he served her. The Prince begs to have his
kind regards sent to Lord Hill.

[Pageheading: RIOTS IN MANCHESTER]

_Sir Robert Peel to Queen Victoria._

CABINET ROOM, DOWNING STREET, _13th August 1842._

Sir Robert Peel presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and is sorry
to be under the necessity of troubling your Majesty so suddenly, but
he is sure your Majesty will excuse him for making any proposal to
your Majesty which the public service may render requisite.[68]

The accounts received this morning from Manchester with regard to the
state of the country in that neighbourhood are very unsatisfactory,
and they are confirmed by the personal testimony of magistrates who
have arrived in London for the purpose of making representations to
your Majesty's servants on the subject.

A Cabinet has just been held, and it is proposed to send a battalion
of Guards by the railway this evening. The 16th of August (Tuesday
next) is the anniversary of a conflict which took place in Manchester
in the year 1819[69] between the Yeomanry Cavalry and the populace,
and it is feared that there may be a great assemblage of persons
riotously disposed on that day.

Under these circumstances it appears desirable to your Majesty's
confidential advisers that a proclamation should be immediately
issued, warning all persons against attendance on tumultuous meetings,
and against all acts calculated to disturb the public peace. It
is necessary that a Council should be held for the issue of this
proclamation, and important that it should arrive in Manchester on
Monday.

These considerations have prevented Sir Robert Peel from giving
previous notice to your Majesty, and having your Majesty's sanction
for the holding of a Council. On account of the urgency of the case,
he has requested a sufficient number of Privy Councillors to repair to
Windsor this evening, in order that should your Majesty be graciously
pleased to hold a Council, the proclamation may be forthwith issued.
The members of the Privy Council will be in attendance about half-past
six o'clock, as Sir Robert Peel has considered that from that time
to half-past seven will probably be the least inconvenient to your
Majesty.

He writes this immediately after the breaking up of the Cabinet.

[Footnote 68: The disturbances of this month, which originated
in a strike for wages in Lancashire, were inflamed by
agitators, and rapidly spread through Cheshire, Staffordshire,
Warwickshire, and Yorkshire, eventually extending to the
populous parts of Scotland and Wales. Several conflicts took
place between the populace and the military, and there
was much loss of life and property, as well as aggravated
distress.]

[Footnote 69: On 16th August 1819, a great popular
demonstration in favour of Parliamentary Reform, presided
over by Henry Hunt, the Radical, had taken place in St Peter's
Fields, Manchester. A riot ensued, and the Yeomanry charged
the populace, with some loss of life. The affair was
afterwards known as the Peterloo massacre.]

[Pageheading: CHARTIST DISTURBANCES]

_Sir James Graham to Queen Victoria._

WHITEHALL, _15th August 1842._

Sir James Graham, with humble duty, begs to lay before your Majesty
the enclosed letter from Major-General Sir William Warre[70] in
command of the Northern District.

From this report it is evident that a strong and salutary moral
impression had been produced by the arrival of a reinforcement
of 1,400 men in the disturbed district in the short time of
six-and-thirty hours after the first requisition for assistance had
been sent from Manchester; and the General has now at his disposal a
force quite adequate to cope with the vast assemblage of people who
are expected to meet to-morrow at Manchester.

Some symptoms of this disposition forcibly to suspend labour have
appeared in the West Riding of Yorkshire; but on the whole the
accounts, both from Scotland and the disturbed district, which have
been received this morning, may be considered favourable. The railroad
communications as yet are uninterrupted; no collision has taken place
between the troops and the multitude, except at Preston;[71] and Sir
James Graham is willing to hope that this insurrectionary movement may
be suppressed without recourse to extreme measures. Every precaution,
however, has been taken, and arrangements are made for augmenting
the force under the command of Sir William Warre, if it should become
necessary.

The character of these riots has assumed more decidedly a political
aspect. It is no longer a strike for higher wages, but the Delegates,
who direct the movement, avow that labour shall not be resumed until
the people's Charter be granted.[72]

Sir James Graham will hasten to-morrow to inform your Majesty of the
accounts which he may receive.

The above is humbly submitted by your Majesty's dutiful Subject and
Servant,

J. R. G. GRAHAM.

[Footnote 70: Lieutenant-General Sir William Warre
(1784-1853), a distinguished Peninsular officer.]

[Footnote 71: The mob attacked the military, who fired and
killed three or four persons.]

[Footnote 72: A colossal petition in favour of the Charter had
been presented during the Session by Mr T. Duncombe.]

[Pageheading: SATISFACTORY RESULTS]

_Sir Robert Peel to Queen Victoria._

WHITEHALL, _18th August 1842._ (_Thursday morning._)

Sir Robert Peel presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and begs
leave to acquaint your Majesty that he returned to London last night.

He has this morning gone through all the letters received from the
country, with Sir James Graham, by whom the details of the information
will be forwarded to your Majesty.

It appears to Sir Robert Peel that the general tenor of the reports is
_satisfactory_. From Manchester, from Wigan, from Preston, the reports
are very good.

The movement is not one caused by distress. The demand for employment
has increased, and the price of provisions--and particularly of
potatoes, bread, and bacon--has rapidly fallen within the last
fortnight or three weeks.

People of property and the Magistrates (notwithstanding their
political dissensions) are now acting in harmony, and with more
energy.

Orders have been sent to apprehend the Delegates assembled in
Manchester, _the very moment_ that the law will warrant their
apprehension, and Sir Robert Peel should not be surprised to hear of
their committal to Lancaster Castle in the course of to-day.

Every vigilance will be exerted with reference to _Cooper_[73] (whom
your Majesty names) and all other itinerant agitators.

As might be naturally expected, the movements and disorderly spirit
spreading from the centre (Manchester) are appearing in remote points;
but when peace and confidence are thoroughly restored at Manchester,
the example will quickly tell in the circumjacent districts.

Birmingham is tranquil and well-disposed. The accounts from Scotland
are favourable.

[Footnote 73: A Leicester Chartist, who was afterwards tried
for sedition.]

[Pageheading: PARLIAMENT PROROGUED]

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

SOUTH STREET, _17th August 1842._

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your Majesty. He is going
down to-day to Brocket Hall with Lord and Lady Beauvale. Lord and Lady
Palmerston are coming down to-morrow, and Lord and Lady Cowper will
probably come over from Panshanger.

Your Majesty read extremely well in the House of Lords on Friday
last.[74] Lord Melbourne can judge better of this from the body of the
House than he could when he stood close to your Majesty. Nothing can
be more clear and distinct, and at the same time more natural and free
from effort. Perhaps if your Majesty could read a tone louder it would
be as well. Charles Buller, who was amongst the House of Commons, told
Lord Melbourne that, where he stood, the voice, although well heard,
sounded somewhat weak. But this should not be attempted unless it
can be done with perfect ease. Nothing injures reading so much as the
attempt to push the organ beyond its natural powers.

Lord Melbourne hopes that these tumults in the manufacturing districts
are subsiding, but he cannot conceal from your Majesty that he views
them with great alarm--much greater than he generally thinks it
prudent to express. He fears that they may last in the form of strike,
and turn out much longer than is looked for, as they did in 1832 and
1833.

There is a great mass of discontented feeling in the country arising
from the actual state of society. It arises from the distress and
destitution which will fall at times upon a great manufacturing
population, and from the wild and extravagant opinions which are
naturally generated in an advanced and speculative state of society.

This discontent has been aggravated and fermented by the language of
every party in the state. Lord Melbourne can exempt no party from
this blame, nor hardly any individual except himself. The Tories and
Conservatives (not the Leaders, but the larger portion of the party)
have done what they could to inflame the public mind upon that most
inflammable topic of the Poor Laws. The _Times_ newspaper has been the
most forward in this. The Whigs and Radicals have done what they could
in the same direction upon the Corn Laws. Mr Attwood[75] and another
set have worked the question of the Currency, and the whole career of
Mr O'Connell in Ireland has been too manifest to be mistaken. It is
no wonder if working in this manner altogether they have at last
succeeded in driving the country into this which is certainly very
near, if not actually a rebellion.

Lord Melbourne earnestly hopes that your Majesty and the Prince, the
Prince, and Princess are all well.

[Footnote 74: Parliament was prorogued by the Queen in person
on 12th August.]

[Footnote 75: Who represented the Radical views of the
Birmingham school.]

[Pageheading: THE DISTURBED DISTRICTS]

_Sir James Graham to Queen Victoria._

WHITEHALL, _18th August 1842._

Sir James Graham, with humble duty, is happily enabled to state to
your Majesty that the accounts from the disturbed districts received
this morning are more satisfactory.

In Lancashire a disposition to resume work has been partially evinced;
and at Preston, where the most vigorous measures were taken in the
first instance, there has hardly been a cessation of employment.

Sir James Graham encloses a letter from the Chief Constable of the
County of Lancashire detailing a successful resistance to a fresh
attempt on the part of a mob to enter Preston; and he sends also
a report from the Mayor of Manchester and from Mr Forster, the
Stipendiary Magistrate. Decisive measures will be adopted for the
immediate apprehension of the Delegates, not only at Manchester, but
in every other quarter where legal evidence can be obtained which will
justify their arrest. The law, which clearly sanctions resistance to
the entry of these mobs into cities, is now understood by the local
authorities. A bolder and firmer spirit is rising among all classes
possessing property in defence of their rights against these bands
of plunderers, who are the enemies both of law and of property.
The prisoners taken in the commission of treasonable felonies are
numerous; warrants are issued against others whose persons are known:
the supremacy of the law will be promptly vindicated, and Sir James
Graham entertains the confident hope that order will be soon restored.

In the Potteries a signal example was made by a handful of your
Majesty's troops opposed to a riotous multitude which had burnt houses
and spread devastation, and Sir James Graham encloses a letter from
Captain Powys giving a description of the occurrence. The effect
of this example has been that yesterday throughout this district no
rioting took place.

[Pageheading: DISTURBANCES IN LONDON]

_Sir James Graham to Queen Victoria._

WHITEHALL, _19th August 1842._

Sir James Graham, with humble duty, begs to announce to your Majesty
that the accounts from the North, on the whole, may be considered
satisfactory....

Five of the principal Delegates at Manchester have been apprehended.
Warrants are out against four others. A very important seizure of
papers has been made which discloses a conspiracy, extensive in its
ramifications, going back as far as July 1841. It is hoped that these
papers, which are still at Manchester, may lead to fresh discoveries.
Sir James Graham will send to Manchester to-night an experienced law
officer, for the purpose of pursuing the investigation on the spot.

There was a meeting last night in the neighbourhood of London, of a
violent character. Sir James Graham had given positive orders to the
police not to allow any mob, as night approached, to enter London.
Notwithstanding these directions, a mob assembled in Lincoln's Inn
Fields about eleven o'clock, and moved through the city to Bethnal
Green. Sir James Graham had the troops on the alert, but the multitude
dispersed without any serious disturbance.

_Sir James Graham to Queen Victoria._

_20th August 1842._

... An attempt to hold a meeting at dusk in the suburbs of London was
resisted by the police yesterday evening in pursuance of orders issued
by the Government in conjunction with the Lord Major, and the peace of
the metropolis was preserved.

The above is humbly submitted by your Majesty's dutiful Subject and
Servant,